Critics of Illinois expressway project fear land grabs and question
priorities
[July 30, 2025]
By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributor
(The Center Square) – The Illinois Department of Transportation is
moving ahead with a new expressway to connect southern Illinois towns to
St. Louis. Critics worry the project will waste money, harm farmland and
lead to land grabs through eminent domain.
A $6 million study is underway to plan improvements along Routes 3, 154,
and 13/127.
Republican congressional candidate Dillan Vancil criticized the state’s
priorities and said taxpayer funds should be spent widening deadly
stretches of Highway 34, which locals have pushed to fix for decades.
“We have been asking for funding to expand to four lanes for decades.
They finally completed it around the high school here at West Central
because there were too many fatalities. It was a major safety concern,”
said Vancil. “One phase is funded, but the other, on the west side, is
not. This new project feels similar, but I don’t believe in disrupting
businesses and taking farm ground just to make a connector to make it a
little bit easier.”
Separately, Vancil criticized IDOT’s Illinois Route 3 Connector project,
which plans to enhance traffic flow between Routes 3, 203, and
Collinsville Road in St. Clair County. Currently in Phase II, the
project’s construction is estimated at $80 million.
"I'm trying to figure out two miles for $80 million, even, I mean, it's
just rough. And you have a feasible business there, a family-owned
business employs around 100 people,” said Vancil.
A 2023 Belleville News Democrat report said the Illinois Route 3
connector project would require the state to use eminent domain to
acquire land from a family-owned trucking company.
Until mid-August, IDOT will solicit feedback from the public on the
Southwest Connector.
Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Springfield, supports federal funding
for the Southwest Connector to create jobs and boost the economy.
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A portion of a map for the Illinois Route 3 Connector project
presented by the Illinois Department of Transportation.
IDOT.Illinois.gov
“When Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021, the
largest investment in our infrastructure since President Eisenhower
created the Interstate Highway System, it was proof that we could
get big things done on behalf of the American people,” said Durbin
in a 2023 news release. “We have a chance to do it again by moving
forward on the Southwest Connector project.”
Vancil doubts its benefits and warns of land seizures, citing
concerns from the smaller Illinois Route 3 Connector.
“If a new facility came in that would create 300 or 400 jobs and
take up 10 acres of farmland, I can understand the strong community
impact. That makes sense,” said Vancil. “I think a lot of landowners
would be willing to work with someone on that. But at the end of the
day, if they don’t want to, find somewhere else to go.”
The Illinois Route 3 Connector focuses on improving traffic near
Collinsville, while the Southwest Connector plans to upgrade 70
miles of rural highways from Waterloo to Murphysboro. Vancil
explained officials should prioritize community feedback before
deciding on a route.
“I'm sure for this connector project [Illinois Route 3 Connector],
there were probably six different routes they could have taken,”
said Vancil. “And of course, they just want to go with whatever
works best for the engineers that come up with this. But how about
we go out and get the responses and the feedback from the community
first.”
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